UBC Continuing Studies, the Department of Asian Studies at UBC, the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre and the Laurier Institution are proud to present Global Islam: Past, Present and Future, a series of free public lectures delivered by some of the world’s most renowned scholars in Islamic Studies.
Almost daily, news headlines tell the story of a world torn apart by religious and ethnic conflict. Even in Canada, with its rich heritage of tolerance and understanding, poll after poll testifies to rising xenophobia. Crisis reporting and lack of context in the media have often contributed to a worrisome upsurge of Islamophobia, and a mistaken belief that the core values of Western civilization and those of the Muslim world are somehow in conflict with one another. Meanwhile, a recent report by a House of Commons Standing Committee declared unequivocally that “viewing relations between Muslim majority and Western countries through the lens of a ‘clash of civilizations’ is both unhelpful and misleading.” In this public lecture on “Global Islam, Garbled Impressions: Fostering Understanding in a Divided World,” Professor Virani discusses how the values of pluralism, education and dialogue can be harnessed as powerful tools for stability, development, and peaceful and productive coexistence with others.
Biography: Professor Shafique Virani is an award-winning author and internationally recognized public speaker who has addressed people from over 50 countries and audiences of over 15,000. Through his scholarship, teaching and humanitarian work, he champions the cause of pluralism, fostering greater mutual understanding between the West and the Muslim world. Describing him as “a visionary,” the United Nations honoured him for dedicating his efforts “to the cause of extending the frontiers of knowledge and the welfare of humankind.” After receiving his PhD from Harvard University, he served on the faculty at Harvard, was the Head of World Humanities at Zayed University in the UAE, and is currently a tenured Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Toronto, where he serves as Chair of the Department of Historical Studies. He has received awards from scholarly organizations around the world, including an International Book of the Year prize and recognition from the Middle East Studies Association of North America, the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies, and the Organization of the Islamic Conference. In his spare time, Professor Virani loves doing volunteer work, both in Canada and internationally. He sits on the governing committee of the Madrasa Resource Centres of East Africa, which administers over 200 schools and reaches out to disadvantaged communities in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zanzibar.
The University of Toronto selected Virani from over 2500 faculty members as one of only 26 to be highlighted as “Professors Who Lead the World.” The citation states: “Shafique Virani’s insights into Islamic history, religious persecution and spiritual survival provide an understanding that could build a road to tolerance. His inspired teaching and writing may be more relevant today than ever.”
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